Friday Nights
by silverkite
Summary: jay dislikes friday nights... randy wonders why. AU high school/college... M/M
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: not mine

Friday Nights

He hates Friday nights. Well... Not really- maybe hate is too strong a word- dislike- Jay thinks with a nod- he definitely dislikes Friday nights. Not that he shouldn't but he finds that his Friday nights are usually spent alone in the dorm room stuck with a pile of books and homework while everyone else goes out with friends or go on dates.

Jay has friends. He has Adam and randy- except on Friday nights. He sighs and opens his literature book to the appropriate chapter- on Fridays Adam and randy went out on dates with girls they'd asked out- Jay thinks they're having some sort of contest- their rivalry hasn't really ebbed since their childhood- although it's less violent and less focused on Jay- Adam and randy still tended to bicker and taunt each other like the rivals they were but their attentions were also divided with school, homework, other friends, and the next girl of the week.

Jay sighs and flips through the book dispassionately, unlike Adam and randy who'd somewhat been gifted with astonishingly good looks (he's been told time and again by several schoolmates, classmates and even upperclassman and a dozen teachers who were drawn to the chiselled looks) Jay remained baby faced and too thin and awkward to pass for a high school student- he usually needed to pin his ID to his shirt else the guards refused to believe he was anything but a senior.

It wasn't like he had any difficulty catching the attention of the women- but it turned out more often than not- they were much more interested in his roommates rather than Jay himself- and so he swore off the women- feeling disheartened and somewhat finding himself uninterested- he couldn't understand Adam and randy's avid fascination with the opposite sex. And Jay didn't want to hear their reasons either- last time that had happened Jay had to lock Adam out of the dorm and beg randy not to give him the key.

He shook his head and resigned himself to his fate and tried to read Shakespeare's biography.

It was still early- randy thinks somewhat sourly as he unlocks the room he's been sharing with Jay and Adam- he's expecting no one, thinks again that its still too early but is mildly surprised to see someone hunched over a stack of books and sleeping soundly- he checks the hair length- notes with satisfaction that it's Jay (he really didn't want to see Adams face especially since he was in a bad mood) and drapes his jacket over slender shoulders- absently notes how Jay has yet to grow out of childish features. He peers to read the half written report that's practically scribbled lopsidedly on several papers- smiles when he sees several misspelled words that taper to squiggles that end the report. Jay mumbles something and buries his face deeper in his arms he's usig as pillows with several other books. Randy decides to spare him the strained neck

"Jay," gives a gentle nudge, "Jay wake up"

The blonde head raises off from his nest and blue eyes look groggily at randy before Jay yawns and stretches- catches the edges of the jacket that is too big for him- randy eyes the long limbs- making up the gangly frame- there's a grace there that he can appreciate and he draws his prying eyes away- feels strange for a moment before telling himself that it's Jay for crying out loud and tries to poke fun at his friend to hide his awkwardness

"so... Come up with something aside from drool on the report?"

Jay mumbles something and rubs at his eyes, "Randy?" glances sleepily at Randy who's perched on his desk and picked up one of the tomes he'd borrowed from the library, "where's Adam?"

Randy shrugs, feeling somewhat irked just hearing that name, "who knows." he drops the book with a satisfying thud- feels sheepish when Jay jumps at the sound and gives a sorry grin

"you're early... How'd it go with um... Jessica?" Jay has to be careful- he sometimes confuses Adam and randy's girls and he can barely keep track of the jenny's and mary's that has passed from their lips- the one time he got it wrong both boys went at each others throats in retaliation thinking the other had crossed some territorial line before Jay had apologised profusely for the mix up. They'd made him do their chores for a week and Jay did not want a repeat of that- death threats and chores- such a horrible horrible mix.

"Anna." randy makes a face, "shellfish allergy."

"Oh." Jay frowns for a moment, absently sinks into the jacket blanketing him "is she okay?"

"she won't die, if that's what you mean." randy says absently, it bothers Jay how little he cares for the girls he dates. "what are you doing back here?"

"homework" Jay answers with a groan- he can't remember what he's read- he's probably zoned out after the first sentence and just plod through it till he fell asleep.

"Jay it's Friday" randy reminded- as though Jay needed reminding- if he and Adam agreed on something- it was usually regarding Jay- and they both knew how absentminded Jay could be. "nobody does homework on Friday nights."

Jay shrugged, "I didn't have anything else to do." he picks at the material of the jacket, tries not to look sullen or 'puppyish'

Randy frowns, "what? No date?" sees that it's a subject Jay isn't eager to talk about and he changes it, "how about the guys?"

Jay doesn't look at randy, "they're out. You know, dating and stuff."

"Jay, you're a senior- don't tell me you haven't gotten over that bitch who burned you"

Jay doesn't answer- knowing that if he does, randy and Adam will try to hook him up with someone and those hook ups have ended in ways that would have sent Jay to the asylum or permanently scarred.

Randy rubs the back of his neck with a sigh, he wonders why no one would want Jay- the kid was perfect- intelligent- had quite a mouth to go with that brain- funny- and those eyes- randy stops- stares at nothing and realises he's going on and on as though he was the one who- he abruptly stands up- thinks his brain is losing it

"randy? You okay?" Jay asks from the chair- he looks small- dwarfed by randy's jacket and the books he's gathered before him and randy can't help but think him cute.

"yeah... Perfect" he mutters weakly, Jay looks at him curiously before tries to resume his reading.

Randy watches Jay, knows he is going to tuck that pen on his ear and promptly forget it's there- grab another pen to chew the cap off- he knows this from late night study sessions they have- tutoring each other- he knows Jay will want some coffee- with three packs of creamer and four packs of sugar- knows Jay will reach for that irritatingly bright yellow green marker and begin to highlight important parts- and stick several sticky notes on the margins with scribbles only the three of them can discern- knows that Jay will still end up falling asleep on all those books- wake up late the next day and randy or Adam will have to help him pack for first period with a poptart tucked in his pocket.

He wonders if Adam takes note of every subtle movement Jay does- because randy does. Every single time.

He should find it eerie how much he knows about Jay yet nothing about Adam- and they already knew each other for the better half of their lives- his eyes trail over jays form- his lips twitch a smile when Jay nibbles on the pencap- frowning in concentration- and randy doesn't think it's eerie because it's Jay. There's just something about Jay that he can't pin point- something different- something...

"are you sure you're okay?" Jay asks, looking at randy, "coz smiling by yourself in a corner is generally a sign of crazy."

"haha dexter, c'mon, get up." randy pushes himself away from the wall he's leaning on and heads for the door, grabs his car keys off the key ring Jay had tacked near the door.

Jay frowns, like how randy pictures he would, "what? Why? Where are we going?"

yes where would they go? He wouldn't dare drag Jay to any bar as much as he wanted to- he just couldn't. "I know a pizzeria downtown that stays open late, c'mon." he nods toward the partially open door, lingers long enough to see blue eyes widen in surprise and momentary confusion as Jay weighs going out with randy or doing his homework months before it's even called homework- it's an easy choice.

Jay gets up, closes his books and arranges the stuff on his desk- makes to shrug off randy's jacket-

"keep it on- it's cold outside" randy says quickly before Jay can remove the item- he likes looking at Jay this way- jacket pooling around skinny elbows- that blonde head tilted in a questioning manner before dismissing randy's weirdness and muttering about shellfish poisoning and randy sees him zip up the jacket- smiles, pleased, when Jay gives him another look and randy holds the door open and locks it as they leave- Adam has his own key anyway.

The cd in randy's stereo is coincidentally jays favourite band- he wonders how long it's been there as Jay sings along- vaguely recalls several girls wanting to change the cd and randy had vehemently refused- randy glances at Jay- finds it amusing that he's playing with the ends of the long sleeves- pulling on them childishly- but it suited Jay- randy couldn't picture him so perfectly otherwise.

They place their orders, randy notes with some satisfaction that jay chooses his meal carefully- he's something of a blossoming Scrooge that way.

"my treat" randy says and orders for Jay before he can protest, smirks triumphantly at him and they argue about it lightly as they sit in the cubicle in the corner

They talk about things- complain about teachers, classmates (randy swears will pay those bullies a visit) and several subjects they're both having a hard time with- move on to movies, music- and their food arrives- they laugh at each other as they eat- randy smiles- sees how Jay meticulously eats his pizza- and randy flings some fries at him for kicks- and Jay gapes in shock and they start a mini food fight until randy accidentally squirts the hot sauce on Jay and they both head to the bathroom with Jay whimpering like a kicked puppy and randy feeling like the biggest asshole in the world

"still hurts?"

Jay nods and presses randy's wet handkerchief to his injured eye- "oh man... I still have that chapter to read..."

"I'll do it for you" randy says easily- wonders when he has ever become such a martyr... Only for Jay.

"I think it's starting to- ow-ow- okay no..." Jay sighs- he leans over the sink to splash some water on it- finds it hard to keep it open and shuts it again and covers it with the handkerchief- the water cools his skin. "another reason to not like Friday nights"

"sorry Jay." randy apologises wholeheartedly, wants to touch- stops himself before he does something he will hate himself for.

"nah- it's okay... Thanks for taking me out though." Jay says gratefully, "it was fun." he doesn't remember having as much fun on a Friday night.

"why don't you like Fridays anyway?"

Jay shrugs, "it's lonely on Fridays."

Oh. Randy feels like hitting himself- Fridays- he and Adam went out with their respective dates Friday nights- and Jay... Jay was just there... Sees a picture of Jay waiting up for then but ends up falling asleep- it explains why he or Adam finds him sleeping on book each Friday. They'd just assumed he came in early... He felt more of a dick than he did with the hot sauce.

"you should've said something." randy says quietly after he tucks Jay in- theyve replaced the hanky with some ice and even if Jay says he's fine and valiantly struggles to finish his reading- randy shoots one glare and Jay obediently allows randy to fuss over him.

"I didn't want to ruin your nights out" Jay says sleepily- "oh- your jacket-"

"seriously, your eye has hotsauce in it- I'm sure I can live without that jacket for a while."

"it's a nice jacket." Jay compliments drowsily

"next Friday..."

"hm?"

"go out with me next Friday?"

Jay grins, "no more hotsauce?"

"... I won't promise that- I will promise you my undivided attention though" randy compromises with a smile

"deal." Jay yawns, glad for once it's Friday.

"so does this mean I can kiss you goodnight?" it's a joke- sort of. He doesn't allow himself to even dare think of the consequences

But somehow it slips pass Jay and he just sticks his Tongue out and says, "I don't put out on the first date orton"

"good." randy says quietly, smiles sombrely as Jay turns to his side- eyes fluttering shut.

"oh..." Jay sits up and pecks randy's cheek quickly- and randy feels himself heat up from that single show of affection- he stares at Jay who snuggles back underneath the covers,

"doesn't mean I can't kiss you goodnight though," Jay says with a sleepy smile that makes randy's insides feel like mush and fluttery wings at the same time, "thanks randy- really."

"anything for you Jay." and while it's what he always retorts- he finds himself meaning every single word as he watched those breaths even out, "everything for you."


	2. Chapter 2

He pats the tickets tucked in his pocket- makes sure they're still there and smiles with some sense of mischievous malice- he figures since it has been a couple of months since that first Friday night out eating pizza, following several other Fridays out- decides that he ought to be a bit extravagant tonight to celebrate the tradition. That and the fact that he can't help spoiling Jay. He checks his watch and realises that jay's classes have ended and purposefully walks over to the other building to seek him out- sees him talking with a few other friends and hangs back to watch Jay- watches how he laughs at a joke or how he gestures with his arms excitedly- eyes practically shining as he tells something of his own- randy mills around before catches jay's eye- the blonde smiles widely at him and bids his friends goodbye and heads over to randy, practically bouncing giddily and randy has to wonder what's got him so happy.

"what are you doing here?" Jay asks, head tilting slightly in curiosity

Randy shrugs, "thought you could use some company back to the dorms"

Jay grins wider, "that'd be great!" knows that randy has several other plans maybe- it is Friday after all.

They start the hike to the dorms- Jay being talkative regales randy with several stories regarding his day and randy listens attentively- something he never does with his other friends or his dates- comments and laughs- finds it utterly refreshing and not boring and can't keep his eyes off Jay- takes in everything that makes him Jay.

"so guess what?" Jay says, dumping his bag onto his bed- springs creak and randy wonders how many books jays got stuffed in the pack

"what?"

"guess!" Jay insists, hopping up on randy's bed beside him- randy wonders when he'd been noticing how long these little invasions in his private space have been going on and why he continues to allow such when he's typically snapping at the first person to lay a hand on his stuff.

"you passed organic chemistry?"

"... Well... Yeah... But something else!"

Randy can almost imagine a tail wagging in anticipation, "I give- what is it?"

"Dereks dad owns a jazz bar and he invited us to see him play!"

"that's..." randy hesitates, "when?"

"tonight!" Jay says cheerfully, glad he has something else to do other than homework

Randy can't help the twitch his smiling face gives as he tries to keep it up, "that's... That's great"

"you can go out with... um... michelle...?" when randy nodded Jay continued happily, "you can go out with her tonight!"

"yeah..." randy nods and gets up suddenly, feels like he's been hit with a tree, "so... I'm gonna head out"

"what? Why?" Jay glances at the clock, "it's still early"

"library" randy lied, "thesis crap."

"oh... That sucks..." Jay says, climbing off randy's bed to see him off, "need help? I mean you and Adam copy paste off the net a lot so-"

"no, I'm pretty sure I can figure it out" it hurts to be there and he can't wait to get out, practically eyes the door steadily

"um..." Jay can't understand the sudden cold turn of events and looks at randy who refuses to look at him unlike always, "I'll see you..."

"yeah." it's bland and randy hurriedly leaves- slams the door and walks quickly away- not to the library- just- away. He knows he should be happy for Jay because he has something else to do on Friday nights- knows it's selfish of him to want to keep Jay for himself- sleeping on that chair and worn from studying all week but still waiting for him to come home- no matter how badly he wants to- he can't keep Jay. So he turns tail and hides- doesn't matter where- so long as it's isolated- where no one can see him- he can pretend that everything's alright and it's just one night after all- he feels the tickets in his pocket and fishes them out- folds them back into his wallet in bitterness and wanders the empty corridors.

Jay looks at the clock and slips into his hoodie- it's odd- Adam has already come by to change into his more rugged clothes for his date and briefly congratulates Jay about the bar before heading out for the night- he has yet to see randy though- wonders if he's still at the library- checks his phone for any irritated messages about the thesis or being in the dusty library- there's none and Jay feels like he should at least text him or something and he types a short

"where r u?" he waits for the reply- usually randy would send one immediately- but Jay frowns at the clock- already fifteen minutes has passed and he's going to be late if he doesn't go out now, checks the phone again, bites his lip worriedly and wonders if randy is okay

"TC- I'll tell u all about it." he texts and grabs his sling bag to head out. "have fun with Michelle!" and presses send and hopes randy's okay as he locks the door.

Randy feels his phone vibrate in his pants but ignores it, doesn't want to be sociable right now. Doesn't make any effort to even contact Michelle- he doesn't want to be with her today- or any day. Finds himself longing for shining blue eyes and that unfaltering smile

It's cold and dark and very very uncomfortable and Jay fidgets with the long sleeves of his hoodie- wishes he'd borrowed randy's jacket- hates the smell of smoke that makes his nose itch and makes him simultaneously want to sneeze- but smiles wearily when his friends talk to him. the music isn't as great as he had thought either- he'd expected the rhythm to be alive- instead it is sad, wailing- mourning with grief- and he can't stand it and he sighs, stirs his iced tea and wonders what randy is doing and if he's faring better than he is.

When it's over, Jay can't run out of there fast enough- hastily bids his friend's farewell and checks his watch- it's only seven and he's glad for once that it's early- sighs and checks his phone, two messages from Adam and still nothing from randy, Jay is more bothered that randy hasn't bothered to even text him his whereabouts. He decides to hitch a taxi home.

The door is unlocked much to his surprise- Jay knows Adam won't be coming back tonight- he peers in and sees randy on his bed, leg swinging from the side, staring at the ceiling- his phone is discarded by the desk and he doesn't look up when Jay comes in.

"randy?"

"hn?"

"are... Is everything okay?" Jay asks carefully, it's unusual to see him doing nothing on a Friday night, "how was your date?"

"I didn't have one" randy says shortly, still staring at the ceiling

Jay removes his bag and sets it on his chair, lingers beside randy's bed, "why not?"

Randy shrugs ambiguously, still doesn't look at Jay as though something on the ceiling fascinates him so.

"um... How did the thesis go?"

"what thesis?"

Jay hesitates, "you know, the uh... The library work earlier?"

"oh. I lied about that."

Jay feels frustrated suddenly, doesn't understand why randy would deliberately lie to him- maybe White lies he could understand, but never a real lie. "what is wrong with you today?" he finally bites out, feeling immature and childish- he doesn't like being ignored.

"nothing." randy says flatly and Jay can't help but feel irritated at the answer, doesn't understand what the heck is eating randy orton.

"it's not nothing if you can't even look at me" he says- unable to control the quiver in his voice

And when randy does look at him it scares Jay- those gray eyes are cold and uncaring and all the things Jay knows randy is capable of but never ever shows. Never shows him.

"what did I do?" he asks softly, looks at his sneakers, can't stand how those eyes regard him with such coldness that it hurts to look, "tell me what I did wrong and I'll apologise."

"it's nothing" randy says coldly

"no- it's not nothing if you look at me that way!" Jay snaps stubbornly.

Randy snorts dispassionately, "how do I look at you?"

"like... Like I don't matter. Like you don't care. Like you don't see me."

That chips at his iced heart and randy sits up, looks at Jay- really looks at him- hes standing there- hands balled in fists and shaking with a quiet rage- there's a sadness beneath that frustration and randy knows- just knows that Jay is close to crying

"I'd never look at you that way" randy says quietly, "you matter to me, I care about you a lot... More than Adam does maybe..." he can't say the last three words that are just dying to roll off his Tongue- even if he wants to- he's not sure how well the fragility of their emotions right mow would stand up to it.

"then what's wrong?" Jay asks, looks at randy- and there's concern there- worry- maybe fear- because he doesn't want to think of losing one of his best friends- the very thought terrifies him.

"it's nothing... Really." randy dismisses with a small smile, "c'mere," motions Jay close- he hesitates before nearing and randy gives him a hug- Jay hugs back tightly, sniffles softly against his shoulder

"sorry"

"sorry too- for getting mad..." Jay apologised earnestly

"nah... I'd be pissed at me too." randy said truthfully, feeling like a jerk.

"what are those?" Jay asks, peering behind randy- looking at the tickets on the other guys bed curiously

"oh... Uh..." randy tries to fish his brain for excuses but he can't because Jay has already picked them up and looked them over with great interest

"wow! You got tickets to nickelback?" Jay said, eyes wide with surprise, "how'd you do that? I've been trying but they'd been sold out months ago!"

Randy shrugs, he hopes it looks casual, "my dad knows a guy..."

"oh... But I thought Michelle hated nickelback?"

"you don't."

Jay stares at randy uncomprehendingly

Randy sighs and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, "I got them for you?"

"wow... Really? Um... Thanks?" Jay says, suddenly feeling flustered, "Why? I mean it's not my birthday and it's way to early for Christmas"

"I..." randy shrugs and kicks at the floor, "no reason I guess..."

"randy... These tickets cost an arm and a leg- so unless if you're missing a kidney or part of your liver you cannot have gotten these for 'no reason'..." Jay points out

Randy chuckles, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you" he says evasively

Jay crossed his arms stubbornly, "try me."

Ah well, he did try. "I like you."

"I like you too, but what does that have to do with these?"

Randy smiles a bit, definitely Jay all the way, "no Jay, I like you."

"we're supposed to, we've been together for ages it'd be weird if you didn't"

"no- wait... Let me rephrase that" randy steps over to Jay who's still puzzling over the enigma of his friend- and he whispers, "I love you."

Jay tilts his head at him- a small frown of contemplation before it sinks in- randy can tell- there's the widening of jays eyes and the way he says 'oh...' then repeats it again with better realisation, "oh."

Randy takes it as a sign of good faith that Jay doesn't bolt away from him despite their close proximity and instead continues to puzzle over randy, attention diverted from the tickets

"but I thought... I mean you go out with-"

"it was just to compete with Adam" randy shrugs, "can't have him think any less of me now can I?"

"I guess..." Jay chews on his lip in thought, "it was kind of scary that you didn't care about any of them"

"I had my eye on you already- they were just distractions."

"wow... Uh, since when?" Jay asked, he'd never had anyone confess to liking him before- or loving him- he was still kind of novice in that department and didn't really know what to do about it- he'd just assumed he be confessing to someone and not the other way around.

"dunno... I think I've always liked you since even when we were kids but Adam got in the way."

"you're not planning on killing him are you?"

"so long as he stays out of my way"

Jay sighs, "and I tried so hard to keep you two from killing each other!"

"I won't kill him- maybe hurt him." randy appeases

"... You never said anything till now..." Jay tilts his head at randy again

"I didn't think I could lose you till now."

Jay feels a heat creep up his neck and blossom on his cheeks, "oh... So um... What now?"

"we could go to the concert" randy suggests, picking the tickets from jays grasp. "we can still catch the opening gig if we go now."

Jay grins, "cool- it'll be like a date" considering it is randy, it won't be so traumatising.

"... Not our first one." randy reminds, holding open the door as Jay puts his sling bag on

"we've had dates before?" Jay asks, looks to randy as he locks the door, "when?"

"Friday nights." randy says with a grin, when realisation dawns on that face again

"Ohhh... Wow... I owe you a lot of goodnight kisses..." Jay said thoughtfully as randy unlocked his car

"you'll think of something" randy says with a laugh, feeling much much better than he did

"um..." Jay squirms a bit in his seat, "now what?"

Randy shrugs and starts the car, heads down the freeway, "how bout we'll see where it goes?" glances at Jay who seems to feel some sort of pressure nobody is putting him in

"so what are we now? Because I don't wanna be the girl."  
>"I haven't really thought that far off yet."<p>

"oh no what if- what if you wanna do it?" he looks horrified at randy who raises an amused brow

"what?"

"I mean- you know! After the third date or something-" he feels like hyperventilating into a panic right now, "and we've gone on hundreds of dates that I'm not even aware of-"

"Jay easy!" randy commands, reaches and pats his shoulder to calm him down, "I don't think either of us are ready for that"

"oh... Oh... That's a relief- I think... But... But you're gonna want to do it eventually" his voice sounds small and far away randy has to look to check if he's still there.

"eventually Jay. Doesn't mean tomorrow- it could be years till then- and who knows if it'd still be us?"

"well why won't it still be us? You've liked me for half our lives I think we're still gonna like each other another half more."

Randy smiled at that thought, "I'd like that."

"me too." Jay agrees, settling down, "at least you're not so scary or mean."

Randy laughs, sees Jay beam up at him, "why don't we just watch the concert for now? It'll be our first real date and you don't have to put out or anything"

"ok... Sounds like a plan" Jay nods, feeling somewhat happier than of late- doesn't know why- but definitely feels on the verge of euphoria with randy- more than anyone else he's ever met, "I'm glad we're friends- or, you know- more than friends"

"me too." randy says with a smile.


End file.
